The Cleveland Cavaliers are still in talks with Tristan Thompson on a free agent contract extension and that deal is holding up LeBron James signing back with the Cavs and this comes as the team may bring back JR Smith and Matthew Dellavedova after considering trades with Jamal Crawford, Joe Johnson and Anderson Varejao.
The Cavaliers roster is starting to get full with the reported returns of Kevin Love and Iman Shumpert, while Mo Williams reportedly is signing a free agent deal. The team has not been able to complete a contract extension with Thompson yet and that also leaves Smith and Dellavedova on the free agent market. According to Brian Windhorst at ESPN, James is waiting for the Cavs to work out a deal with Thompson before signing and James could end up with a max deal this summer, even on a one year contract.
Earlier in the offseason there were reports that Thompson's deal was close to getting done for $80 million, but new updates have the sides "still apart" in contract talks. According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Chris Haynes reports that the Cavs and Thompson have not agreed to a deal and that the parties "continue to talk" and they are expecting to get a deal done. James has expressed his desire previously for Thompson to stay with the Cavaliers and right now there are no reports that things are so far apart that a deal will not get done.
UPDATE: According to reports from ESPN, LeBron James is ready to re-sign with the Cavaliers. James has signed for one-year at $23 million plus a player option and the deal is worth around $50 million total. the LeBron deal is official: Check here for more.
Check here for more on the Cavaliers bringing back Dellavedova and JR Smith and for more on the Thompson talks and how they are affecting James and what he will do this offseason. The team is also talking TRADES, check here for more on JAMAL CRAWFORD and moves with BRENDAN HAYWOOD and his contract to the Lakers or Clippers.
Williams is reportedly agreeing to a two year deal and some in the media have suggested that his return to Cleveland could mean the end for Smith and/or Dellavedova. Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports that the team has the "intent of signing" back Dellavedova and that the team has "NOT abandoned" their "JR Smith pursuit." Mike Wilbon added that the Cavs could bring both players back and still use Williams as a backup point guard, as Dellavedova is not as well suited as the main backup as shown by his play in the finals.
Thompson showed his value in the playoffs last season with Kevin Love out and if he is locked up, it could mean the Cavs push hard to trade Brendan Haywood and/or Anderson Varejao. The Cavs reportedly have agreed to a deal with Love for over $100 million and Shumpert for $40 and with Thompson and James still needing to get signed, some cap space will have to be moved. Dan Gilbert is going to be paying some tax no matter what, but the team reportedly also wants to move Haywood's contract.
According to Marc Stein at ESPN.com, the Cavs have been trying to move Haywood's contract and they have talked with the Clippers and Nets about a deal. The team looked into a Joe Johnson trade, but reports have that stalling out, while the Clippers could be an option for Jamal Crawford. Stein reports that the team has also discussed Haywood's deal with the Phoenix Suns and LA Lakers. Haywood has a deal worth $10.5 million and since it's fully unguaranteed, teams are eager to add him to clear cap space.
The Cavaliers have been trying to trade Anderson Varejao, but the team has not been able to find any takers. The Johnson trade slowed because the Nets and Cavs could not find a third team for the Varejao deal and Stein reports the team is not talking to anyone about Varejao now.